Thursday, July 08, 2010

Ready for My Shrimping Career

It's only July 8 and I've promised not to carry on about the heat until August. So I'm going to talk about the rain instead. We've had a lot of it! I hear the northeast is having a crazy heat wave and it makes me thankful that the rain is keeping us from joining them. Here's my pro and con list for the rain:

Pro's:

Less heat

Free yard watering

No water restrictions in the neighborhood

Cons:

We can't go swimming

There's little motivation to leave the house

It's scary to drive in

It's just a bit humid outside

The number one drawback of all this rain is that it makes our hair ugly. I have so much hair that it takes me sweet forever to get it dried and fixed every other day. Honestly, hair stylists have told me I have enough hair for three people. So when I've put that much effort into fixing it, I'm none too pleased to end up looking like a neglected poodle after getting caught in the rain.

This happened to me on Monday night, actually. I got my hair looking sleek and smooth against its will and then we immediately went out to the country for a cookout with my family. As soon as we got there it started pouring. I resolved in my heart to be a big girl (even when it was thundering) and not spoil the fun because of my hair. Even with the use of an umbrella it looked like doody for two days. I should have washed it yesterday but didn't because I wasn't going anywhere and, hey, it was still raining!

Today we had lunch plans with some dear friends from Irving and the mop had to be cleansed. Y'all, my hair looked amazing. AMAZING. I gave it the triple torture - blow dry, Chi, and hot rollers. It submitted so nicely. Curt walked in the door to pick me up and I made him take a good look at me. I wanted him to remember it because by the time we returned, my good hair day would be a distant memory.

I do have one very powerful tool against the rain. When Jackson was a baby we went to a youth camp on the bay in Palacios, Texas. It poured the entire time. And y'all, sometimes umbrellas just don't do the trick. Especially when you're carrying a baby on your hip or trying to get your kids in the car. We got so sick of being drenched that Curtis finally went to Ace Hardware and bought some hideous, bright yellow rain jackets with hoods. They were legit. If I worked on a shrimp boat, this is what I would wear. Call me Captain D.

Last week during VBS we had monsoon-ish weather. I'm not even kidding you. After a couple of days of using the umbrella, I realized it was doing me no good. In fact, I was more wet using my umbrella than nothing because it made me so darn slow. So I traded in my cute polkadot umbrella for the shrimper jacket. Oh yes I did. It had been in our garage for two years and smelled like grease, but did I care? No. And guess what? I had an amazing hair day against all odds. The Lord reminded me that Annabeth had a rain jacket in her closet that she'd never worn and she was oh so cute in it. Poor Jackson wore a winter jacket that kept his body dry but not his head. Bless his heart. But let's be real. He's a boy and he didn't care.

I busted out the shrimper jacket today because we have Metro this evening and I don't want to look like the neglected poodle or its doody. It was raining when Annabeth and I picked up Jackson from day camp. We pulled into the soggy parking lot and that's when I realized I had this legit shrimping jacket on - with a hood - and my daughter had nothing to protect her from the rain. I am such a good mother. Annabeth didn't seem to mind and we weren't outside that long. I was prepared to tell anyone who asked that my baby's hair dries in 5 minutes but mine takes forever!

A few people did stare at me and I suppose I'll never know if it was because I looked like a fluorescent yellow Rat of Nimh or because I went so overboard protecting myself against the rain while doing nothing for my daughter.

I live in Houston too and can atest for this crazy rain business and our hair! I'm scared to complain too much because I know we'll end up going through a heat wave/drought soon. (That's us, we have either hurricanes or drought!)

Oh you crack me up. And I think part of the reason I love you and your mom so much is because I feel a kinship to ya'll when you talk about your hair. I curl mine and get a lot of flack about curling it. We just got back from a 3 week road trip - a great deal of it in the south. Man, that humidity deflated my beautiful curls so quickly!So without rambling further, I empathize with you deeply, my sistah. Be without guilt. Annabeth probably enjoyed the gorgeous rain drops anyways... :)

I always swear I'm not gonna comment on every one of your posts because I can't possibly contribute anything interesting or insightful once, let alone every time, but lately, you're just giving me no choice. I get this so much. My HAIR gets this so much. I refused to sit on our deck the other night because I was having the best hair day ever. EVER. If I would have stepped even half a foot outside, I would've looked like Annie. I savored that glorious hair all night... until I went to bed and flattened it all out. Sigh.

Sophie's comment is hilarious. I don't have anything hilarious to share--but shrimp sounds pretty good right now...may have to pull out my $2 off coupon for seafood at King Soopers and get me some shrimps. :)

Sophie is cracking me up with the Hair ministry. I think you look adorable and smart! I tried to get me and Harper and bags in the car today in a downpour with an umbrella and it was ridiculous. Umbrellas are not made for people with small children who do not want everything to get wet.

Ha! That's a funny mental image. I've done almost the same thing, bundling myself up and then realizing, as I'm getting one of my children out of the car, that he or she is not even wearing shoes, or whatever. It's because I know I'm going to be carrying them anyway! :)

And I have to ask. Blow dry, Chi, AND hot rollers? Are you serious???? Wow. You Texas girls mean business. No wonder you're known for your hair. I am waaaaay too lazy, and usually do just one of those things, and only on a good day. Half the time I brush and ponytail. But then, I live in Seattle and good hair gets ruined by the drizzles three seasons out of the year. I'm kinda tempted to try the trifecta and see what kind of results I get.

you are too funny! this humidity is a beating for us Texans. I've considered starting to take pictures of myself right after I spend 2 hours fixing my hair then when I walk in to church, a restaurant, or target I can whip out that pic and say see I really did try.

i don't know that i have ever commented on your blog before, but hair is a reason to share!

i recently had a "global keratin" treatment put on my naturally curly hair. not only does it keep my hair fairly straight, but it does NOT frizz at all! despite the humidity (even on vacation in south florida!), my hair hasn't frizzed all summer.

it's a pricey treatment but so worth it! maybe you can find someone in houston. . . otherwise, i can give a great recommendation of a stylist in austin.

Lol - you are too funny! Sad thing is I didn't even notice that today when I met you - I was too busy racking my brain trying to figure out why you looked so familiar to me and then it hit me!

But you're right - umbrellas don't stand a chance in Houston rain - its a lost cause. I found out the hard way last week while picking up my daughter and trying to keep my younger baby covered up and trying to push the stroller all at the same time - explains my lack of anything with me today to keep dry.

Awesome. Wear it with pride. I had one very similar when I was in college (fellow Aggie). I'm from the Dallas area so the humidity/torrential rain in College Station shocked me. I invested in a snazzy rain coat like yours--but lime green which is worse I think--and wellies. It's no wonder I didn't meet my husband until after college.

love the pancho!i feel your pain.we live in the worst city for hair.my good hair only lasts "minutes"...it looks good in the bathroom after fixing and once i step out- ALL that work was in vain.i give my hair the triple treatment too- blow out, straighten and then use hot rollers or a big curling iron. i have lots of hair.but naturally its neither curly nor straight. just a frizz puff.i've tried all the anti-friz products.i will say that i recently bought some Aveda product called Smooth Infusion Style Prep smoother (defends against humidity.) i put a nickel size amt in damp hair. then blow dry. then use Bumble & Bumble Styling lotion Spray (Target)- i spritz lightly on each section before i flat iron or hot roll.my hair has definitely seemed softer and less frizzy even in this horrid weather. and that's saying a lot because my hair never seems to obey.i sound like a hair commercial don't I?i was thinking earlier this week "i should tell somebody about this, but i don't know who to tell my newfound discovery?"i guess it's you:) just in case it works for you too...

and one other thing...why is it that our great state is so cruel to us? we're expected to have great hair all the time, yet she works against us with her wonky weather. i guess she knows us texan women never back down from a good challenge. ;0)

hahaha....reminds me of that guy from the movie, "i know what you did last summer" he wore a jacket just like that....now all you need is a hook for a hand :) that'll getcha a few stares i'm sure of it!

I also live in Houston and have lots of hair (although not as much as before child-bearing years!)I have found (through a friend) a miracle product- Garnier Nutrisse Anti-Humidity Smoothing Milk. It is greatness in a bottle. I just put on a dollop and comb through after my shower, then blow dry and straighten. It really does work! And it costs about $3, so it's awesome all around.

I hope I have something here that might help. Ever since I read that blog post about your anniversary trip, your mention of "wrangling (your) hair into submission" has haunted me. I've thought about that a lot.

I KNOW.

Anyway, I feel the need to tell you and your other blog readers about one of my best friends, the hair product that I truly feel is a gift from the Lord. TRULY.

I, too, have enough hair for three people and it tends to expand and fuzz as the humidity increases. I stumbled upon a straightening balm made by Lanza. (I've linked it below for you). It doesn't make your hair feel goopy or greasy when it's dry. AND it has proven over and over to help my hair withstand humidity. Granted, Charlotte is no Houston, but it is still quite humid here. VERY humid.

Even though I usually keep my hair just below shoulders, I still get it thinned, texturized and everything'd. That might help the product work better, too. I dunno.

All I know is that I might cry if they ever stop making it.

Hope you can give it a try and that it works!

Here is the link to the product. You can purchase it at salons and places like Ulta:http://www.lanza.com/products/display_products.sd?iid=56&catid=5&loc=show&headTitle=%20-%20Smoother%20Straightening%20Balm

I totally feel your pain. I have nearly resigned myself to the fact that it just might be a ponytail kind of summer. The humidity alone you could drown in, and let's not forget the awesome breeding ground all this rain in making for the mosquitoes. Woohoo!!! Isn't Houston great. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else though. By the way...miss you girly.

As a fellow mom of three who lives in TX (we've had plenty of rain in Waco too), I am all about the rain jackets.

We first got one as a hand me down from the northwestern cousins, but now, we all own them (except baby girl, but it's just a matter of time before she fits in the small size and biggest brother gets a new one. That's just the way things work around here).

If you wanna leave the umbrella behind forever, places such as Columbia and REI sell different colors. Mine's blue, hubby's is black and the little ducklings are yellow!

Oh my word, that was the ramblingest post I have ever read from you! That was like a 3 Diet Coker! And I loved it!

I actually have a Palacios story. In college, my friend's cousin got on the phone and said, "Get off, I need to call so-and-so, she's in Palacios." And we both went, "Why? What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" We thought "in Palacios" must mean, like, she's "in a fix" or she's in trouble. So now, we still say, "Man, I am IN. PALACIOS."

I live in North Alabama and it's always super humid here in the summer, rain or no rain (rain does make it worse). I have extremely straight hair, so I feel your pain in fixing your hair to look good and then stepping outside for a mini-second and all your hard work going up in humidity. But instead of mine poofing it falls straight and limp, hugging my head. I graduated in 1983 so I'm a big hair girl, at least needing a little height on the top anyway. Humidity and rain are my worse night mare!!! Love you and your sweet family and the God you so faithfully serve!

From one three-person-head-of-hair (and mine's naturally kinky-curly-frizzy and has only been straightened three times in 20 years) to another, "Thank you for giving something about which to smile!" :)

After getting soaked over and over again while trying to get two kids into church by myself with a stroller and diaper bags and all that mess, I finally broke down and started wearing one of those old lady rain bonnets. It is hilarious, but I'd rather look ridiculous in the parking lot for a few minutes than look a mess for several hours at church!

Two words - Brazilian Blowout. It will give you sleek hair that can still be styled. I have yet to take the plunge, but three girlfriends with unruly hair have and it has been LIFE CHANGING (is that too dramatic for hair talk). We were working in Australia in monsoon rain and I looked like a drowned rat for a week - my girlfriend didn't have a hair out of place the entire trip. On another hair related note a group of us were in Irvine this weekend and in addition to devouring the words the Lord spoke through our Siesta Mama - we all agreed your moms hair has never looked better - both color and style are a home run! :)

I am chuckling! I have done this on an occasion or two where we had to be somewhere in the evening so I packed a light jacket for myself (since we live way up here in Dalhart) but I pack nothing for the kids.I actually like your shrimp jacket. Good hair trumps stylish outerwear anyway.And you might start a new syle while you are at it.

This was too funny. Before you ship out on a shrimp boat, maybe you and "ole' yeller" (I totally think you need to name it...an accessory that makes THAT much of a statement deserves it's own name) could try being a crossing guard. :)

How funny Amanda!:) That picture is too funny!:) I have found the best hairspray for humidity, even rain. It is Garnier Fructis Bamboo infused hairspray. Da bomb of hair sprays. I have been hot rolling my hair because I have minimal hair time each day now. I just finger comb spray and set and it stays really well! Even keeps my hair straight on humid and rainy days:)

Love your post & that you included the picture. Wouldn't be the same without it. I live in the Northwest and can honestly say that it just quit raining here less than a month ago. And! People who are native to the Northwest usually don't use umbrellas. Both my kids ages 3 and almost 2 have rain coats that can be used YEAR round. Thats right. Lots of rain here. I think your yellow rain coat is much better looking than a granny's plastic bonnet. Although, I think both get the job done ;)

It is totally a coincidence that it has the same name as your mama's ministry, but have you heard of living proof www.livingproof.com??? They totally stand behind their product and while spendy it REALLY works for some... try the straight styling cream first. :)

Besides a baby, what pregnant women get in return for surrendering their waistlines is nine months of thick, glorious hair. It’s a beautiful thing. However, when Baby is just a few months old (about the time Mommy is seeing hints of her returning waistline) it all falls out. Soon her face is framed by the re-growth—lovely inch-long hairs called baby bangs. This blog is named for that charming little phenomenon.